


Runnymede: a symbol of peace and freedom under the law

by Hypatia_66



Series: An UNCLE Gazetteer [18]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: ABC Challenge, Community: section7mfu, Gen, Memorials
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 22:32:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15010856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hypatia_66/pseuds/Hypatia_66
Summary: ABC Affair II. Cities A-ZNapoleon and Illya are part of a security detail for the Kennedy family





	Runnymede: a symbol of peace and freedom under the law

Runnymede, 14 May 1965

There were large crowds on the meadow itself – it was a fine day, the grass was dry, the sun glittered on the Thames running nearby. All eyes were on the royal party and the Kennedys, particularly the two children. The little boy was talking to a policeman who smiled down at him; his mother was smiling too, but his sister was quiet.

Personal grief took over temporarily and Napoleon bowed his head. Just one among many. It was a difficult moment. As one of the protection detail for the Kennedy family, it was his duty to remain alert. Illya standing beside him was quite capable of doing the work of two, at least for the moment and in any case the dangers were slight.

Not yet two years since that pointless assassination… The murder of an intelligent, freedom-loving president, the antithesis of an oppressive ruler such as the American constitution guarded against. It was – should have been – unthinkable. Napoleon, like so many, still felt it deep in his heart.

Illya feeling it as much in his mind as his heart, had often pondered the monumental unreason of it over the past year and a half. He could have almost understood it if Kennedy had been a dictator. But dictators couldn’t rule the USA – the US Constitution was there to protect the individual from the whims of tyrants and dictators. No question: a power-hungry monomaniac wouldn’t be able to gain control and exercise presidential freedoms to oppress the people.

After all, recent history had warned how easily it could happen – people hadn’t realised until they found themselves subject to tyrannical injustice. He had been lucky to escape, himself. If it did happen, though… Would the kind of people who had hated Kennedy enough to kill him, kill – or support – such a man? Illya had no way of knowing.

The two UNCLE agents followed the Kennedys as the Queen led the way up through the acre of landscaping – the path through the wood, the fifty steps that represented the American States, the English and American oak trees, and the gleaming white memorial stone to the dead President. People smiled to see that the little boy was now holding Prince Philip’s hand.

The VIPs were now climbing the steps into the stand. Napoleon turned to his partner who smiled at him sympathetically and said, “This must be a beautiful, peaceful place when there are no people here. We’ll come back another time.”

Napoleon agreed. “Couldn’t be a better tribute – right here by the Thames at Runnymede where individual rights were originally enshrined in law.”

“Well, Magna Carta was a bit ambiguous about that,” said Illya, pedantic as ever, “but people thought it meant that, which is why it had an influence on the American constitution.”

The VIPs in the stand settled; Napoleon and Illya watched as the Queen rose to deliver her speech. They scanned the intent faces of the people in the rows of seats below who listened as she freely gave this acre of land forever to the American people. Her speech ended movingly, touching on the grief and despair, the love and admiration of the British people for the murdered President. Napoleon looked up and swallowed hard when he heard the tiniest catch in the Queen’s voice that betrayed just for once something of her own feelings.

The Queen now left the stand and the party retraced their steps past the memorial stone. Prince Philip waited for Mrs Kennedy as she stood for a while looking at the stone.

“So, this is American soil now,” said Napoleon softly. “Amazing, the effect one man can have on people.”

Illya looked round at the crowd, all focussed on thoughts of that one man. “Yes. A very positive effect, it seems. I don’t think we were really needed today… but I’m glad we were here.”

**Author's Note:**

> Runnymede, near Windsor, is where the Great Charter of Freedom, Magna Carta Libertatum, was given the royal seal by King John in 1215 (he didn’t sign it). Its legacy is largely symbolic, particularly in relation to freedom of the individual, but it has been used in the drawing up of many constitutions, including that of the US. Ironically the UK has no written constitution.
> 
> The landscaping of the memorial acre, and the memorial stone itself, were designed by Geoffrey Jellicoe.


End file.
